Greg Morris Movies

Still being seen on Saturday nights -- albeit in a later time slot -- Mission: Impossible entered its sixth season with hopes that its ever-diminishing ratings (brought about by the defection of its two most popular regulars, Martin Landau and Barbara Bain) would take an upward turn. In this spirit, the series offers some of its best-ever episodes during season six, notably "Encore," in which the IMF team literally recreates the year 1937 on a Hollywood backlot in order to convince an aging gangster (William Shatner) that he has gone back in time, thus coercing him to confess to a long-unsolved crime; "The Visitors," wherein the team stages a disturbingly realistic extraterrestrial invasion to expose the mob connections of a powerful media mogul (Steve Forrest); and "Invasion," with Kevin McCarthy as a traitor who is hoodwinked into believing that the United States has become a military dictatorship. Of the familiar series regulars, Peter Graves still heads the cast as IMF leader Jim Phelps, Greg Morris continues to essay the role of electronics whiz Barney Collier, and Peter Lupus remains on hand as muscle-man Willie Armitage. Missing this season are Lesley Ann Warren as the team's versatile female member Dana Lambert, replaced by Lynda Day George as Lisa Casey; and Leonard Nimoy as master of disguise Paris, replaced by nobody. Although the six-year-old Mission: Impossible easily out-rated its NBC and ABC competition -- Saturday Night at the Movies and The Persuaders, respectively -- the series was still a far cry from its 11th place ratings peak during the series' third season. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Forming an unholy alliance, mobsters Frank Mason (Frank Mason) and Edward Trask (Richard Jaeckel) have been successfully modernizing, computerizing and (violently) streamlining the Syndicate's gambling activities. The IMF is assigned to break up the relationship between the two master criminals. The plan calls for Phelps to pose as the owner of a prize racehorse, and for Casey to impersonate a wealthy racetrack aficionado. Written by Edward J. Lasko, "Run for the Money" was originally broadcast on December 11, 1971. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

This time, the IMF takes on the challenge of staging an invasion from outer space. It is all part of a plan to derail the political ambitions of mob-connected publishing tycoon Edward Granger (Steve Forrest). Highlights include Phelps and Casey's pose as a pair of futuristic physicians. Written by Harold Livingston, "The Visitors" was originally telecast November 27, 1971; ironically, the episode was rerun during the same April week in 1972 that the Apollo 16 lunar expedition was launched. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Elizabeth Ashley shines in an extremely difficult guest-star turn in the Mission:Impossible episode "Encounter." The IMF is assigned to halt the extortionist activities of crooked business executives Frank Brady (Val Avery) and Martin Stoner (Lawrence Dane). The key to the mission's success is the mercurial -- but potentially beneficial -- behavior of Stoner's alcoholic wife Lois (Ashley). Originally seen on October 30, 1971, "Encounter" was written by Howard Beck. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The worst has happened: The United States has been invaded and occupied by an unfriendly foreign power. At least, that is what the IMF wants American turncoat Whitmore Channing (Kevin McCarthy) to believe. The purpose of this charade is to prevent Channing from handing over top secret information to the Enemy. The real fun in this episode lies in watching guest star Kevin McCarthy undergo the same paranoia he earlier exhibited in the classic sci-fi film Invasion of the Body Snatchers) (1971). First telecast on November 13, 1971, "Invasion" was written by James L. Henderson and Sam Roeca. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The IMF must prevent a merger between Vic Hatcher (Victor French) and Johnny Thorne (Felice Orlandi), the leaders of two rival underworld factions. Should the merger go through, the economy of the United States will collapse. The two gangsters are holding their meeting at a ski resort, accessible only by cable car--one single, heavily guarded cable car. Filmed on location along the aerial tramway high above Palm Springs, California, "The Tram" was scripted by James L. Henderson and Sam Roeca, from a story by Paul Playdon. The episode first aired on October 2, 1971. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Gerald S. O'Loughlin makes a return visit to Mission: Impossible, this time in the role of Syndicate chieftan Frank Delaney. To break the mob's stranglehold on the waterfront, the IMF endeavor to terrify Delaney into providing evidence against himself and his cohorts. Phelps impersonates the skipper of a "haunted" freighter, while Casey poses as the daughter of one of Delaney's murder victims. Written by Ed Adamson and Norman Katkov, "Shape Up" first aired on October 16, 1971. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

American defector Howard Bainbridge (Frank Farmer) returns to the US for one last reunion with his son Paul (Anthony Norwalk). Unfortunately, Bainbridge gets into an argument with his ultra-right wing father Justin Bainbridge (Andrew Duggan), who ends up killing Howard and burying the body on his huge estate. The IMF's mission is to recover the body--and with it a sample of the deadly contaminated nerve gas that the defector had been working on before he died. Scripted by Ed Adamson and Ken Pettus from a story by Adamson and John D.F. Black, "A Ghost Story" originally aired on February 27 1971. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Lynda Day George joins the Mission:Impossible cast as agent Lisa Casey in the episode entitled "Blind." Guest star Tom Bosley is cast as government undercover operative Henry Matula, who has been infiltrated into the criminal empire of John Lawton (Harold J. Stone), and is in line for a Syndicate promotion. To protect Matula's cover, Phelps must take extreme measures to pose as a discredited, and blind, FBI agent. This episode was written by Arthur Weiss. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In order to deactive a satellite armed with thermonculear bombs, the IMF must penetrate a heavily guarded island and destroy the missile's control center. Part of the plan requires Barney to arrive on the island alone via submarine. Alas, something goes wrong, placing Barney--and, by extention, the entire world--in direst jeopardy. Scripted by actor Wesley Lau from a story by Lau and Judy Burns, "The Filed" first aired on January 23, 1971. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

A seemingly benign nuclear arms treaty threatens to explode into another Cuban Missile Crisis. The IMF is assigned to squelch the treaty before any damage can be done. Their plan requires Paris to pose as both a fugitive and the fugitive's father--a tour de force that won an Emmy Award for makeup artist Bob Dawn. Familiar Mission:Impossible villains John Vernon and Will Kuluva make return appearances, while Cincinnati Reds catcher Johnny Bench makes his acting debut as a military guard. Written by Paul Playdon, "The Catafalque" was originally broadcast on February 6, 1971. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

This time it's personal for IMF agent Barney Collier: His brother Larry (Marc Hannibal), a crusading newspaper editor has been murdered at the behest of a crooked police chief. Larry had been on the verge of proving the chief's connection with a ghetto gang that is in the employ of the Syndicate. To help Barney avenge Larry's death, the IMF masterminds a trap for the corrupt cop and his Syndicate higher-up. Hari Rhodes and Abbey Lincoln are among the guest stars in "Cat's Paw", which was written by Howard Browne and was first broadcast on January 9, 1971. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide